Shoe-holder



(No Model.)

J. H. WOODBURY. SHOE HOLDER.

No. 581,569. Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

UNrrnn States ATENI @rrrcn.

JAMES H. IVOODBURY, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,569, dated April27, 1897. Application filed December 22, 1896. Serial No. 616,679. (Nomodel.)

To all whom [It may concern.-

.Be it known that I, JAMES H. \VOODBURY, of Somerville, county ofMiddlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inShoe-Holders, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawingsrepresenting like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a now-21 shoe-holderadapted to be used by shoe-dealers and the general public for distendingand keeping in place a shoe.

My invention may be used to distend ashoe in a shop vindow, to distendand keep flat the sole of a shoe when not being worn or after the sameby wear has been wet, and itis also very useful to hold a shoe whenbeing blackened or cleaned.

Figure 1, in side elevation, represents one of my holders in place in ashoe, the dotted lines showing the handpiece turned up preparatory towithdrawing the holder; and Fig. 2 is an under side view of the holder.

The fore part A of the holder is shaped as the fore part of any usuallast to fill the front part of the upper and rest on the sole to keepthe upper in shape and the sole flat.

It is afact thatin use the sole of a shoe which is being worn will whenleft off the foot for a few days bend or curl up crosswise. So to keepshoes in their best condition for appearance the inner sole should beacted on by a last when not being used.

The fore part A terminates near the instep of the shoe, and at thebottom of the fore part, near its thickened end, I have provided a notchor slot a, in which I have pivoted at b a handpiece 13, its free endbeing enlarged to bear against the interior of the heel of the shoeinside its counter, the said handpiece when pushed down in place, asrepresented by full lines, crowding the fore part snugly into the frontpart of the shoe, keeping the upper stretched and in its original shape.

The handpiece is so shaped, having a depending portion b, and itoccupies such a position in the shoe, being centrally pivoted at b abovethe bottom of the fore partbetween the instep and shank and midwaybetween the sides of the fore part, that it may be easily grasped by thehand to hold the shoe firmly when the shoe is to be cleaned or polished,for instance.

I am aware that a shoe-form has been proposed having a forward shell tofit the fore part of the shoe and a single wire extending therefrom tothe rear, said wire being looped over at the heel and sliding freelyback and forth in a strip of leather on the bottom of said shell, a loopof elastic cord being connected to the front end of the wire and to therear end of the shell so as to slide and hold the loop end of the wireagainst the heel, and also that it has been proposed to make a formhaving a shell to fit the forward part of the shoe, and a counterportion made of a strip of sheet material bent around in U shape to fitagainst the counter and inner sole throughout its extent, being hingedat each end to the sides of the shell, and therefore I make no claim toeither of these structures.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

A shoe-holder, comprising a fore part, and a handpiece, the former beingadapted to fill out the forward part of a boot or shoe, the latter beingpivoted unyieldingly to the fore part and having a depending portion atits rear end, said handpiece having a solid portion between its pivotand end raised from the bottom of the shoe, when in place therein, topermit the fingers to grasp around it and constituting a rigid brace anda convenient handle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

, JAMES H. IVOODBURY.

WVitnesses:

Geo. W. GREGORY, ADDIE F. DANIELS.

